Vancouver City Council |
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETSOCTOBER 23, 2003
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, October 23, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT:
Councillor Tim Louis, Chair
Mayor Larry Campbell
Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor David Cadman
*Councillor Jim Green
Councillor Peter Ladner
Councillor Raymond Louie
Councillor Sam Sullivan
Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Vice-ChairABSENT:
Councillor Anne Roberts (Sick Leave)
Councillor Tim Stevenson (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:
Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:
Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator
*Denotes absence for a portion of the meeting.
Vary Order of Agenda
At the request of staff, Council agreed to vary the order of the agenda to deal with Item 5 first. For ease of reference, the items are minuted in numeric order.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Year 2004 Vehicles for Hire License Fee Amendments and Re-definition of "Stretch Limousine" (File 2801)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated September 26, 2003, in which the Chief License Inspector, in consultation with the Director of Finance, proposed updates to the Vehicles for Hire license fees for 2004 and amendments to the definition of Stretch Limousine to allow the use of stretched sport utility motor vehicles as stretch limousines. The General Managers of Corporate and Community Services recommended approval.
Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector and Rosemary Hagiwara, Manager, License Office, were present to respond to questions.
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT the license fees for Vehicles for Hire, contained in Schedule "A" of By-law No. 6066, be increased by approximately 5.5 percent (when rounded) for Year 2004.
B. THAT the license transfer fee be increased from $95.00 to $100.00 for Year 2004.
C. THAT the fee for bicycle courier testing be increased from $25 to $26 for Year 2004.
D. THAT the definition of Stretch Limousine be amended to allow the use of sport utility motor vehicles as stretch limousines, and to clarify that a four-door sedan motor vehicle and sport utility motor vehicle may be stretched.
E. THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary By-law amendments to the Vehicles for Hire By-Law to implement the revised Fee Schedule and other proposed changes, to be effective January 1, 2004 and the amendment to the Stretch Limousine definition to be effective on the date of the enactment of the by-law.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
2. Year 2004 Business License Fee Amendments and Other Miscellaneous License By-Law Amendments (File 1758/113)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated September 26, 2003, in which the Chief License Inspector, in consultation with the Director of Finance, sought Council's approval for Year 2004 business license fees, and provided Council with an update on the license fee changes to financial institutions, vending machines, bank machines and secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers approved in 2003. The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval.
Paul Teichroeb, Chief License Inspector and Rosemary Hagiwara, Manager, License Office, were present to respond to questions.
MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT with the exception of the charitable or non-profit categories detailed in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated September 26, 2003, entitled "Year 2004 Business License Fee Amendments and Other Miscellaneous License By-law Amendments", live-aboard license categories and liquor license categories, Council approve an across-the-board increase in business license fees of approximately 2.75% (when rounded) for Year 2004 as an inflationary adjustment reflecting the estimated growth in City costs.
B. THAT fees for the license categories of Cabaret, Dining Lounge, Hotel Lounge, Lounge, Marine Pub, and Neighbourhood Pub be increased by approximately 5% (when rounded) from $4.00 per seat per annum to $4.20 per seat per annum.
C. THAT a new Retail Dealer - Grocery license fee category be defined and included in Schedule A of License By-Law No. 4450 with a fee of $600.00 per annum.
D. THAT a new Retail Dealer - Market Outlet license category for retail businesses in a premises greater than 50,000 square feet be defined and included in Schedule A of License By-Law No. 4450 with a fee of $3,000.00 per annum.
E. THAT Council instruct staff to review all retail stores, including those selling food, between 10,000 sq. ft. and 50,000 sq. ft. in order to make recommendations on further expanding the subcategories of retail dealer licenses.
F. THAT a new Residential Rental Unit license fee category be defined and included in Schedule A of License By-Law No. 4450 with a corresponding fee per unit of $49.00 per annum.
G. THAT Section 24.2 of License By-Law No. 4450 pertaining to rental agencies be deleted.
H. THAT the license fee categories under the Exhibition section in Schedule A be deleted and replaced with the license fee categories in Appendix C of the Administrative Report dated September 26, 2003, entitled "Year 2004 Business License Fee Amendments and Other Miscellaneous License By-law Amendments".
I. THAT the license fees pertaining to occupied live-aboard boats be deleted from Schedule A of License By-Law so that new fees to be approved by Council further to a subsequent report by Financial Services can be included at that time.
J. THAT the Director of Legal Services be requested to prepare the necessary By-law amendments to the License By-Law to be effective January 1, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
3. Collingwood Neighbourhood House Society Gymnasium Operating Funding (File 1605)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated September 19, 2003, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services sought Council approval for 2003 operating funds for the Gymnasium. The General Managers of Corporate Services, Community Services and Parks and Recreation recommended approval.
David Sherwood, Business Support, was present to respond to questions.
Oscar Allueva, Director of Community Services, Collingwood Neighbourhood House, spoke in support of staff's recommendations, and noted the success of the very different operating model for the Gymnasium.
MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve 2003 funding in the amount of $208,727 to the Collingwood Neighbourhood House Society for the operation of the Collingwood Gymnasium for the period January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003; source of funds to be the 2003 Operating Budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
4. Mobile Food Vending on City Streets (File 2630)
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated October 7, 2003, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services proposed an amendment to the Street Vending By-law to permit and regulate mobile food vending on City streets. Amendments to the Licensing By-law were also proposed.
Tom Hammel, Streets Administration Engineer, provided brief comments on the proposal to expand the guidelines for ice cream vending to including food vending. Mr. Hammel also drew the Committee's attention to an amendment to Appendix A of the report, to include the words "park parking lot". In response to a question from Council, Mr. Hammel advised the sale of magazines and books was not covered under this proposal.
Christine Corkan, Java Jazz Mobile Café, advised she was present to respond to questions from Council.
Hartley Rosenberg, spoke in favour of staff's recommendations and encouraged Council to request fair trade products be included in these food vending operations. Mr. Rosenberg also noted, although not currently permitted, it would be desirable to allow the sale of specialty coffees etc. at Little League games, and similar sporting events.
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT Council approve amendments to Street Vending By-law No. 4781 as outlined in the Policy Report dated October 7, 2003, entitled "Mobile Food Vending on City Streets", including Appendix A as amended this day, to create a Mobile Food Vending category that would allow mobile food operations to sell drinks and pre-packaged foods incorporating the guidelines that currently apply to mobile ice cream vending and to restrict operators of mobile food vending units from operating within 50m of any user group selling concessions within a Park and from operating between 11:00pm and 7:00am.
B. THAT Council approve an amendment to the License By-law No. 4450 to establish a licensing category for Mobile Food Vending companies to cover mobile ice cream and other mobile food vending operations.
C. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to bring forward the appropriate by-law amendments to the Street Vending By-Law and License By-Law generally as set out in the Administrative Report dated September 26, 2003, entitled "Year 2004 Business License Fee Amendments and Other Miscellaneous License By-law Amendments", including Appendix A, as amended this day.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
5. Vancouver Economic Development Commission 2004 Business Plan and Budget (File 3143)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated October 7, 2003, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services sought Council approval for the Vancouver Economic Development Commission 2004 Business Plan and Budget and to enter into a contract with the VEDC for the provision of economic development services. The City Manager recommended approval of funding to enable the Commission to carry out core economic development services on behalf of the City of Vancouver commencing January 2004.
Roger Fast, Director Business Support, provided a brief overview of the report and introduced Lois Nahirney, Chair and Linda Thorstad, Executive Director of the Vancouver Economic Development Commission. With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation Ms. Thorstad provided details of the Commission's 2003 goals and achievements and its goals for 2004 and responded to questions related to the feasibility of providing an inventory of Vancouver ecobusinesses.
Council members discussed the need to harmonize the Commission's budget with the overall budgeting process, and in response to concerns raised by a Council member, noted this was
simply a housekeeping measure to ensure everyone comes forward at the same time cycle. A Council member suggested an option for the harmonizing process would be to provide funding to the Commission until March 2005.
MOVED by Councillor Green
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT Council approve interim funding of $150,000 (which includes applicable GST and a 3% increase from the 2003 budget) for the Vancouver Economic Development Commission (VEDC) to the end of March 2004 so that VEDC's budget can be considered within the context of the overall City's Operating Budget for 2004; source of funds to be the 2004 Operating Budget.
carried
AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
THAT the figure "$150,000" in Recommendation A be amended to read $737,000 and the words "March 2004" be amended to read March 2005, as follows:
THAT Council approve interim funding of $737,000 (which includes applicable GST and a 3% increase from the 2003 budget) for the Vancouver Economic Development Commission (VEDC) to the end of March 2005 so that VEDC's budget can be considered within the context of the overall City's Operating budget for 2004; source of funds to be the 2004 Operating Budget.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Green, Louie, Louis, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)
The amendment having lost, Councillor Green's motion was put and CARRIED with Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed.
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT the Vancouver Economic Development Commission be asked to set quantitative targets for 2004 in terms of jobs, companies and dollars.
LOST
(Councillors Cadman, Green, Ladner, Louie, Louis, Sullivan, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT the Vancouver Economic Development Commission be asked to provide a review of the ecobusiness sector, including preparing an inventory of Vancouver ecobusinesses that is on, or linked to, the VEDC website.
LOST
(Councillors Cadman, Ladner, Louie, Sullivan, and the Mayor opposed)
MOVED by Councillor Ladner
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
B. THAT the Vancouver Economic Development Commission be requested to provide comments back on City benchmarks to track progress in reducing delays in permitting and zoning.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
6. 2003 Debenture Program (File 1611)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated October 10, 2003, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services/Director of Finance sought Council authority to market an external debenture issue of up to $100 million in order to raise the funds required to undertake the capital expenditure program and to extend the City's Fiscal Agency Agreement with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (RBS DS) for the purposes of the contemplated debenture issues.
Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, was present to respond to questions.
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
A. THAT, under the authority provided in Section 242 of the Vancouver Charter, Council approve the following borrowing authorities in advance of the 2004 Capital Budget:
- Sewers $10,000,000
- Waterworks $10,000,000
B. THAT Council approve the issuance of up to $100 million City of Vancouver debentures to finance the approved capital expenditure program.
C. THAT the Director of Finance be empowered to act and instruct the City's Fiscal Agent to proceed with the issue, after consultation with the Mayor, the Chair of the City Services and Budgets Committee, and the City Manager, or a majority of them, and to set the rate, price, and other terms on which the debentures will be marketed.
D. THAT Council authorize the Director of Finance to extend the City's Fiscal Agency Agreement with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. ("RBC DS"), in essentially the same form as the previous agreement with a term to end upon successful completion of the debenture issue contemplated in Recommendation B.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green absent for the vote)
The Committee adjourned at 11:05 a.m.
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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 23, 2003 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, October 23, 2003, at 11:06 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.
PRESENT: |
Mayor Larry Campbell
|
ABSENT: |
Councillor Jim Green
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CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Judy Rogers, City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator |
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Campbell in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
October 23, 2003
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the foregoing report:
Cl. 1: Year 2004 Vehicles for Hire License Fee Amendments and Re-definition of "Stretch Limousine"
Cl. 2: Year 2004 Business License Fee Amendments and Other Miscellaneous License By-Law Amendments
Cl. 3: Collingwood Neighbourhood House Society Gymnasium Operating Funding
Cl. 4: Mobile Food Vending on City Streets
Cl. 5: Vancouver Economic Development Commission 2004 Business Plan and Budget
Cl. 6: 2003 Debenture Program
MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1-4 and 6 of this report be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Clause 5
MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 5 of this report, be approved.
CARRIED
(Councillors Ladner and Sullivan opposed to Recommendation A)
AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
THAT the figure "$150,000" in Recommendation A be amended to read $737,000 and the words "March 2004" be amended to read March 2005, as follows:
THAT Council approve interim funding of $737,000 (which includes applicable GST and a 3% increase from the 2003 budget) for the Vancouver Economic Development Commission (VEDC) to the end of March 2005 so that VEDC's budget can be considered within the context of the overall City's Operating budget for 2004; source of funds to be the 2004 Operating Budget.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Louie, Louis, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT the Vancouver Economic Development Commission be asked to set quantitative targets for 2004 in terms of jobs, companies and dollars.
LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Ladner, Louie, Louis, Sullivan, Woodsworth and the Mayor opposed)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT the Vancouver Economic Development Commission be asked to provide a review of the ecobusiness sector, including preparing an inventory of Vancouver ecobusinesses that is on, or linked to, the VEDC website.
LOST
(Councillors Cadman, Ladner, Louie, Sullivan, and the Mayor opposed)
NEW BUSINESS
1. Leave of Absence - Councillor Louie (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Cadman
THAT Councillor Louie be granted Leave of Absence due to civic business for Thursday, November 6, 2003.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Ladner
SECONDED by Councillor Sullivan
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 11:08 a.m.
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